Missing Dutch Women Found Dead in Panama

On April 1, 2014, two Dutch women visiting Panama took off on the popular “El Pianista” trail near the small town of Boquete. They would never be seen again.

Last Known Location

Kris Kremers, 21, and Lisanne Froon, 22, had traveled to Panama to learn Spanish and volunteer with young children in a local school. Upon arrival in Boquete, their volunteer start date was pushed back a week leaving them several days of free time.

The last person to see the women alive was a local innkeeper. Kremers and Froon stopped by to ask for directions to their hike, then came by later in the day to ask for help returning to town. The innkeeper recommended a taxi but didn’t see where the women went. Authorities determined it would be unlikely for the women to have ventured back onto the trail.

The Search Is On

Dutch and Panamanian search teams combed the nearby mountains for weeks but found nothing. The families were desperate to locate their daughters. Two months after their disappearance, human remains were found in the forest near “El Pianista.” DNA tests confirmed that the body parts belonged to Kremers and Froon. A portion of Kremers’ pelvis and Froon’s severed left foot were all that remained. Later, locals surrendered Froon’s backpack, which contained several clues. The most curious of which was a Canon Powershoot with several disturbing photos dated weeks after the women’s initial disappearance.

Competing Theories

Initially, local authorities suggested that Kremers and Froon were the victims of a freak accident involving a flash flood – a common occurrence in the Panamanian spring.

However, recent investigations have proposed more sinister possibilities. Some, including the popular true-crime podcast “Lost in Panama,” theorize that the disappearance was part of a cover-up on the part of the Panamanian government. After all, there’s a history of femicide and women disappearing in this region. There have been more than 50 instances of missing women and girls in the 40-mile stretch of Panama where Kremers and Froon disappeared.

Yet others, including the book “Still Lost in Panama,” claim that these theories are not well-founded. They assert that the initial investigation was thorough and definitive. Kremers and Froon were simply the unfortunate victims of a flash flood. There was no foul play.

We may never know exactly what happened to Kremers and Froon on that fateful April day. Myriad YouTube documentaries, books, and articles have explored the possibilities with theories ranging from plausible to downright bizarre. Regardless of what really happened, the story continues to captivate the collective imagination.

References: The Baffling Mystery of the Lost Girls of Panama Unravels | Still Lost in Panama: New investigative book sheds light on the cold case of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon | How this journalist found herself in the middle of a Panamanian true crime story | Dutch Police Hint at Criminal Activity in Women’s Disappearance | Dutch Women Who Went Missing in Panama Confirmed Dead